The True Freedom
by chichai
Summary: We all know Takao has tendancy to but in making Kai have to save him but maybe this time it was right of him to...[ONESHOT]


_Italics_ thoughts

… … … new scene

**The True Freedom**

Strata Dragoon swept through the dish and knocked into its weakening opponent. The young girl gritted her teeth as Daichi stretched with ease. JD jumped about and his commentary quickened as the two blades clashed at the edge of the dish.

"Daichi pay attention!" Takao yelled stressed as Daichi snapped out of his comfort zone; Strata Dragoon became dangerously close to the edge. Daichi jumped up and down while Max and Takao nearly ripped their hair out at Strata Dragoon's slim chances of getting safely back into the middle of the dish. The girl laughed,

"So much for you being good!" Daichi's eyes flashed with anger and he waved his bony fist in the air,

"If you weren't a girl I'd knock you out!"

"Wimp!" She yelled and JD laughed as Daichi went into a fit of stomping his feet and shaking his fists in the air looking remarkably like a monkey.

"I'll wimp you!" Daichi yelled and Strata Dragoon shot from the edge of the dish and smacked the girl's blade straight out of the dish and into JD's privates making him groan as his eyes watered. The girl looked at Daichi as sickness built in her stomach.

"You're…how did you…You! You cheated!"

"I did not!" Daichi yelled as JD struggled back to his feet and announced Daichi the winner. Takao marched onto the podium and the crowd reacted with shouts making it seem more like a pantomime than a blading tournament.

"Shut it and get down here! I'll kill you for that stunt!" He grabbed Daichi tightly by the wrist trying to stop himself from twisting his wrist but failing miserably.

"Oh yeah, run off to your big brother!" The girl said scornfully. Takao flipped around and laughed manically. Daichi stepped back as Takao advanced towards the blading dish,

"Me? His brother? You must be joking? Either that or you've been knocking back the stupid pills!"

"Well it's not hard to make the mistake!" She said withdrawing slightly and blushing, "Your both ugly and useless bladers with useless Bit Beasts." She walked off as Takao turned into a raging bull. He sprinted in the direction the girl had went and JD ran after him grabbing hold of him as he kicked and screamed,

"Come back here so I can show you how useless Dragoon is!" Takao got more frustrated as he noticed she wasn't even paying attention to him, "I know you can hear me you dirty little bitch!" JD looked in horror as the crowd went silent; he realised Takao's ranting and raving was bouncing off the walls and echoing up and down every corridor in the stadium thanks to the microphone he had clipped onto his top.

"Takao you can't say that on day time TV!" He hissed.

"Like I give a fuck!" Takao hollered and continued swearing at the top of his lungs as stewards raced forward and pulled him back into the locker rooms as JD tried to settle the crowd who were game for a battle between Takao and the girl.

… … …

Takao opened a pack of crisps as he sat on the bench in the locker rooms. When Kai entered he reddened as the air became thick with tension... Kai walked over to the water machine and got some water. He swung it to the back of his throat finishing it in one go.

"Guess you think that was smart?" Kai crunched the plastic cup with one hand and kicked it skilfully into the bin across the room. Takao gulped knowing full well that Kai was imagining it to be his head. Kai's stare pierced through Takao until he eventually bored of intimidating Takao and looked outside to see Mr Dickenson making a gesture to encourage him to keep going. Kai sighed; _here we go again with this babysitter routine_. He closed his eyes and put a foot up on the wall while resting his back against it, "Any idiot can lose his temper; you're living proof of that. It takes someone with real strength and conviction to control their temper, even when his most prized possession is being ridiculed." He listened as a small crunching noise echoed through the silent room, "Takao you better be bloody listening or I'll rip you apart!" Takao swallowed the crisps he was eating and scrunched his face up as they slashed the back of his throat. Kai opened his eyes, fuck this. "I'm done." Kai said making his exit as Mr Dickenson watched him stride past feeling disappointed that Kai still wasn't opening up to the team. Mr Dickenson took a deep breath and smiled as he entered the room, closing the door behind him.

"Takao my boy, good to see you. Wish I could say the same about hearing you." He chuckled, gradually stopping as Takao looked up at him with empty eyes.

"Are they gonna let me blade?" He asked in a sad but uncaring tone.

"Only on the condition you publish an apology of some form to the viewers and you apologise to-"

"You taking the piss?" Takao interjected as he shot off the bench and took a fighting stance, "Why should I apologise when she started all the shi-"

"Takao watch your language! It's got you in enough trouble today!" Mr Dickenson scolded him in a rarely used disciplinarian tone. Takao pivoted round and kicked the bench venting out his frustration as the door was knocked. "Come in." Mr Dickenson said in a contrasting happy manner. A girl walked in and Mr Dickenson smiled, "Ah Alicia, what can I do for you?"

"Nothing sir, I was just looking for Mariam. Do you know where she is?"

"I'm sorry, I don't," Mr Dickenson turned to Takao, "have you?"

"No." He snapped. "Should I apologise for not knowing? And while I'm apologising for that I'll apologise for being born!" Takao stormed out of the room pushing past Alicia making her lose her balance. Mr Dickenson shook his head as he caught Alicia by the arm,

"I'm very sorry for that Alicia."

"You have no need to apologise sir, it's his fault!" She fixed herself and grumbled at Takao. "I'll be off then." She said giving a charming smile goodbye before walking down the corridor and bumping into Ray.

"Oops." He smiled, "You alright?"

"Yeah," she recognised who he was, "you're a Blade Breaker, and you must know Mariam, right?"

"Depends why you're looking for her." Ray's smile glinted along with his eyes.

"She owes me a rematch." Alicia laughed at his cautiousness, "You know curiosity killed the cat."

"…Yeah I've heard." Ray said rubbing his neck. He didn't find the joke funny, it was irritating, but she meant no harm so he gave a kind laugh that made Alicia reddened, she knew it was insincere.

"I'll find her myself."

"No no it's ok, if it's a rematch you want; I'll take you to her." He said and walked with Alicia down the corridor and into the stadium where the crowd roared as Max and a German blader got ready for round two of the match. Ray and Alicia approached the bench where Mariam, Kai and Kari were ignoring Daichi who was regaling his match to them.

"Yeah Daichi we did see it." Mariam yawned,

"Ah! But did you?" He said trying to be mysterious but coming off as a nut job. Ray interrupted and Kai, Kari and Mariam were grateful that he did.

"I've got someone who wants to talk to you." He pointed to Alicia who stood behind him. Mariam smirked as Alicia stepped forward,

"You thought leaving the country would make me forget that you owed me a rematch?"

"I thought I'd save you the embarrassment of losing again."

"Oh your all heart(!)"

"Hmph. Alicia, I've already gave you 2 rematches. I never realised you were so desperate to lose 4 times in a row."

"For your information, it's only 3 times and I've gotten better." Alicia crossed her arms.

"I doubt it; you can't even do basic maths. Besides, if you've gotten better, I doubt you've gotten good enough." Mariam smiled as she found success in winding Alicia up.

"Ooo catty!" Daichi watched in interest as Mariam and Alicia exchanged a few more bitchy but friendly words before Alicia finally gave a nod and smile admitting defeat. Alicia looked at Daichi,

"Daichi right? That was some sweet blading you done."

"Don't encourage him!" Ray mumbled to her as Daichi got ready to give a long speech about how his blading was the best that had ever, and would ever, be seen in the world of blading. "You seen Takao?" Ray asked him ensuring everyone didn't have to hear him spout rubbish about his 'masterful' blading techniques.

"Na, hope he's calmed down though. We need him to be ok to blade in the next round."

"I saw him." Alicia said, "He left his locker room in a mood. I'm guessing he's not one for manners?"

"Why are you saying that?" Ray got a bit defensive but he knew with the mood Takao was in he could've done something dumb.

"He banged into me and never even said sorry!" Alicia crossed her arms. Mariam laughed as she went in a huff, "I'm over it!" Alicia insisted. Mariam shook her head smiling and irritating Alicia even more. Kenny walked behind Daichi,

"Who's she?" Daichi shrugged, he'd lost track of it all…on second's thoughts, he'd never really been on track, but it didn't bother him.

"Should we look for him?" Ray asked as the crowd burst into cheers as Max and the German launched their blades. Mariam shrugged and Ray took it as a yes.

"You comin' too?" Mariam asked Alicia,

"Uh ok," she said uncertainly.

"He won't be that hard to find. You'll only need two people." Kai said as he stretched his legs out and hid his face in the shade.

"Well if we don't find him, we'll need someone to blade in his place." Mariam looked at Kari who sat with her eyes shut. Kari shook her head as she felt Mariam's gaze upon her,

"Why not?" Daichi asked.

"If I was even going to answer that question, I wouldn't answer it to you." She said coldly and walked off.

"Ray you'd be best staying." Mariam said. Ray nodded as Daichi hopped in front of Mariam as she went to walk forward,

"Why can't Kai blade? And since when were you the boss?" He added annoyed. Mariam glared down at him and curled her fist about to punch him; Daichi protected his face and gave a small squeak,

"That's why." Mariam laughed inside and left with Alicia.

"You know violence is never the answer!" Daichi yelled after her and then looked at Kai and mumbled, "I blame her role model." Kai smirked.

… … …

The day smelled of a sickening sweetness that ripped Takao's insides as his anger fought viciously to stay in control of him. The clouds fell apart and the sun shone dimly as a gentle shower of rain fell. Takao sat on the damp grass as the pain struck his body making it difficult to stand. The distant roars from the crowd and JD's occasional murmuring commentary motioned a tranquil coolness to Takao's heart, he breathed deeply as the fire began to extinguish while the rain turned heavier. The weak sun became blocked out as Takao looked up at the shadow which covered his head,

"Don't worry I'm not here to get you back, I'm just offering you this, I don't like seeing people catch pneumonia." Alicia said holding an umbrella over Takao's head. Takao smiled at the thoughtful gesture,

"I don't need it." He said taking his cap off and then putting it back on. Alicia felt a bit stupid and looked over at Mariam who stood waiting by the main doors.

"Figures." She muttered. Takao waited for her to take the umbrella away but she kept it there, "You better get ready to go in. Max is kinda getting his ass kicked. You'll need to save the day." She smiled hoping to get rid of the dourness that had settled in his face.

"Yeah I'll be a second... By the way the whole pushing by you thing-" Takao began with no real emotion.

"It's chill. Just don't let it happen again." She gave a swift smile and returned indoors.

Takao sat down a bit longer before he laughed inside, he realised how stupid he had been to let his temper control him. "Any idiot can lose his temper; you're living proof of that. It takes someone with real strength and conviction to control their temper" Kai's voice resonated sharply in his mind. Damn. Kai was right, and he was wrong. Again! Takao wasn't surprised though, throughout the years of their friendship Takao had come to learn and accept that Kai was usually right when it came to…well, everything. Kai had the clear head and ability to cut himself off from the world and all that surrounded him so he had the perfect stand point. Takao was the opposite. Emotions always collided with principles, dreams continuously mixed with reality which made him get into trouble, like he had today. Guess I gotta apologise... Takao looked up at the small crystal droplets of water that descended from the endless sky making the sun shimmer from a faint glow to a fevering shine and then back a fragile glow. Takao jumped up and ran back into the stadium as the sun gave a final twinkle before being invaded by the thickening rain clouds which unleashed transparent blades that slashed down upon the unsuspecting earth.

… … ….

Max fell to his knees as the German's blade returned to him. His eyes were screwed shut as his heart raced and his head screamed with defeat. _I had him! And then he…_ Max beat himself up inside as the match replayed over and over in his mind, highlighting moves he should have made and times he should have attacked instead of defended. He could feel the Blade Breaker's disappointment being disguised behind him. His heart faded as he got to his feet and walked back to his team.

"You done great Max." Ray encouraged him, "It was a brilliant match."

"You gave it your all." Kenny joined Ray in trying to raise Max's spirits.

"Thanks guys…but...I should have won that one...I just don't know what went wrong." Max looked down at Draciel and folded his fingers over it as his mind went wandering back to the match he had just lost.

"I know what went wrong." Takao said as he walked up behind Max, "You were too busy thinking about me weren't you?" He smiled and Max gave a weak reciprocating smile. "You did great Max, trust me." Max sighed and looked at the ground doubting that he did, "Hey! Would I lie to you?" Takao said putting his arm around Max's neck and messing up his hair. Max laughed.

"Takao you've kept everyone waiting long enough. Get ready for the match." Kai said getting sick of the happy-go-luck/best-friend routine quicker than usual. Takao ignored Kai's coldness and gave him thumbs up.

"Aye aye captain Kai!" He said jumping around and swiping Dragoon from his pocket. Kai rolled his eyes as Takao nearly smacked into Mariam as she returned to her seat before he ran up to the podium making the crowd scream as he entertained them, waiting for his next challenge.

… … …

The darkness set in beneath the stands as the crowd overhead made them tremor with their jumps and stomping feet. The slits let the golden gleam from the stadium lights glide into the darkness and show the flustered pacing of a dark masculine figure. Gleaming green eyes followed the figure's every move and the occasional flick of dark red hair made the tense air mingle with a cocky arrogance that finally broke the hard nature of the man.

"This won't work!" He snarled, "Too many people!"

"It will," her silky voice slid through the air, "You worry too much. I am a woman with impeccable talents. You really shouldn't doubt me, unless, you want to be against me." Her thin lips formed a cruel, calculating smile as she watched the man's sharp eyes become filled with a sudden intense panic. "You care for them more..." She turned her face cleverly letting her hair fall over her face creating the perfect cover for her smirk as she made convincing weeping noises and even supplied a tear or two of deceit.

"No! Of course I'm on your side Rhea! I want this just as you do!" He stepped to her side and holding pale face wiping away what he thought to be tears of pain and frustration, "My battle is yours. And yours is mine. With you we shall gain the vengeance that is ours. I love you. Those weaklings shall not get away with what they have done! We will teach everyone the way the world should be. Strong. With no waste of spaces like those stupid goody goody bladers out there wh-" Rhea's slender pale finger gently pressed upon his lips silencing him.

"Sh. You speak too much darling. You'll be our downfall." She stroked his face moulding his love for her in the palm of her malicious hand. "Let me deal with it. You just do as I told you." She looked into his eyes; they were filled with emptiness, confusion and a block-headed dumbness. She sighed keeping her aggression inside, "You relax and look pretty." Rhea patted his face belittlingly and subtly dodged a kiss that would have disgusted her down to the very core. The dark figure watched Rhea's trim outline become absorbed by the bright lights, his heart foolishly became strengthened by his love for her while hers was consolidated with the vindictive knowledge she had him under the thumb. Soon she would have no need for him. Soon her plans would be one step closer to completion.

… … …

Takao watched the stadium grow more excited by the second. JD walked over to Takao with the microphone,

"Sorry Takao, but Mr D said apology or you don't battle."

Takao gritted his teeth but Kai's words brought him away from his anger and he looked up at Mr Dickenson's shadow that sat in the glass box overlooking the blading dish. Takao lifted the microphone and the stadium hushed excluding one over excited girl who cheered when everyone had silenced. Takao smiled feeling embarrassed for her.

"Alright?" He asked the crowd and they cheered. Mr Dickenson sat in the box laughing to himself, he knew Takao was going to turn this into a show but it didn't matter. As long as the crowd was happy. "I guess you heard me earlier?" He joked as the crowd kept cheering, some booed but Takao was so flattered by the cheering he hardly recognised them. "Well I've been thinking, the midget-" the crowd laughed as Takao went bright red Ooops! The first word he had told himself not to say slipped out in true a Takao fashion.

"Oh please! Are you telling me that this is what the BBA call a champion?" A smooth but striking voice rang out from the opposite end of the stadium. Takao looked over with the rest of the stadium and rolled his eyes. _Why do the bad guys always go for the boring cliché of insulting the hero? Hey! I'm the hero! Yay!_ A pale figure in a leather trench coat with dark red hair and piercing green eyes smirked as she got the attention she had wanted.

"It's called an apology." Takao retorted pissed off that he was getting the spotlight taken off of him and that he wasn't getting to have his match.

"Blading has no place for apologising." Rhea strode forward as the eyes of the stadium followed her and she stood across from Takao at the blading dish.

"Your not his next challenge, I'll have to ask you to step down." JD gently took her by the arm and she grabbed him. JD let out a cry of pain and Takao looked at her sickened to see her black nails piercing through JD's skin and half way into his muscle tissue. She smirked and, with an amazing hidden strength, flung JD into a section of the crowd. They scuttled out of the way and didn't dare help him in case they were next.

"Ladies, gentlemen and you." She glared at Takao and then smiled as she recaptured the spotlight, "The tournament will be postponed until further notice. You will all leave in an orderly fashion," she took out a strong looking blade, "or die. Any objections?" She added sweetly. The crowd didn't think twice and they stampeded out of the stadium. Rhea looked up at the glass box Mr Dickenson had been in to see that he had already left; she smiled and looked over at Takao. "Can't you follow instructions like everyone else?" her voice was filled with a strong annoyance at the fifteen year old who dared to stand in her way.

"Na, not really. I was never good at it." He put his arms behind his head and beamed at her. Kai stayed sitting on the bench surrounded by the team and smirked; _Takao having the knack to annoy someone actually had a purpose. Weird._

"You'll never get the chance to find out if you ever could then." She smiled and launched her blade. In seconds Takao felt the rush of metal inches from his face and the blur of green and black that took away the tingle of the attacking blade. Rhea looked about angrily as her blade fell to the ground but still spun with incredible momentum.

"And there was me thinking you liked attention." Alicia jumped down from the stands. Rhea's eyes shone at the sight of her target,

"Ah, just in time. You've not changed; you always come just when I want you."

"Old habits die hard." Alicia said as her green and black blade whistled through the air and back into her hand. Daichi looked at Alicia and then the woman as they exchanged an intense glower. He tugged at Mariam's arm,

"I think we should go right about now."

"You go. Take Max and Kenny with you. You'll only get in the way." Mariam hissed as she watched the other members of Alicia's team walk into the stadium from the stand entrances. Daichi looked around feeling intimidated by the strong presence of hatred.

"This isn't our battle." Kai said simply, "Everyone get out." he sighed, "I'll get big mouth." He pushed himself up to his feet and strode out into the centre of the stadium as Mariam pushed a gawking Daichi towards Max and Kenny who dragged him out as he continued to watch what was happening. Ray went to follow but stopped when he realised Mariam was taking a leaflet out of Daichi's book and watching what was happening. "Enough's enough Takao." Kai said grabbing Takao by the collar of his jacket and pulling him away. Rhea cackled,

"You think it'll be that easy?" Kai stopped as Takao started making a fuss. Kai turned to give Takao a telling off when he saw what Takao was making a scene about. The rafters of the stadium steadily creaked as the air around them became hazy and Rhea's outline became a malevolent black and gold energy barrier. Her pupils disappeared and her eyes gleamed with a radiant green.

"D'you think it's something she ate?" Takao joked trying to hide his nerves.

"Get out of here!" Alicia yelled as she and her team launched their blades and began their attack.

"Kai we can't leave them! They're not strong enough!" Takao pulled free from Kai and ran forwards.

"Takao!" Kai gritted his teeth and ran after him as the heavy beams began to slacken off and tumble down.

"Kai watch it!" Mariam ran forward with Ray close behind while Kai was drenched in a storm of dust. A deafening groan made Ray pull Mariam back as the beam fell inches from them barricading them away from all the action.

… … ….

Kai launched Dranzer as he cursed Takao for getting him into another situation that would inevitably end up in him having to save Takao's life. Dranzer shot forward as Alicia and her team's blades clashed with Rhea's blade and she sniggered at their attempts to weaken her blade.

"We can't do this all at once!" Alicia mumbled to a team member, "We should go one at a time. The more force used the stronger she gets." Rhea glared at Alicia,

"Hm, maybe you have grown up since the old days." Rhea pushed the energy barrier away from herself and sent everyone flying backwards. Kai smacked his head off the wall and fell to the ground in pain as Dranzer soared through the air. He sighed and pulled his arms up trying to get himself on his knees. But he couldn't move. It was as if a magnetic force was keeping him nailed to the ground. Kai growled as he strained to lift himself up but soon stopped struggling.

_Shit! Takao I could kill you!_ Kai thought while his head hurt, he tried to ignore it and form a plan of how to get himself and Takao out of here alive.

"Let's see your strategy Alicia." Rhea looked at Alicia who was stuck up against the wall, "You and me, one on one." Rhea released Alicia from her invisible prison and she crashed down to the floor and gave a cry of pain as she landed on her arm which gave a revolting snap. Alicia staggered to her feet and looked over at her team and then Takao and Kai. She knew she couldn't do it. She was the weakest one in the room. The impression of a blade skipped up from the ground and into Alicia's hand. Takao struggled as his neck was forced down to the concrete floor. He looked over at Kai who lay still on the floor with his eyes closed.

_Is he…?_ Takao's heart tore as he mistook Kai recovering energy as death. "I'll kill you!" Takao yelled as he thrashed about violently. Kai opened his eyes and watched Takao kick about trying to break free.

_You idiot._ Kai thought as Rhea laughed at Takao's attempt to free himself. A blast of blue sparked from Takao and Kai stared in disbelief as he saw Takao jumping up. Rhea looked at Takao in horror,

"… he can't have...it's impossible.." Alicia beamed and gave a back flip.

"Ha ha! Looks like Rhe Rhe's gonna lose." Alicia loved the panic that had flared up in Rhea.

"NEVER!" She screamed and the grey haze erupted and covered every inch of the stadium covering Alicia and Rhea from sight. Takao dashed forward as Dragoon darted out of the darkness and followed him whipping up a storm. Kai shook his head and sighed _If I lives through this; I'll kill 'im_.

…. …. …

By the time Takao's vision came into focus Alicia and Rhea were already in a fierce battle. Alicia laughed as her blade was forced aside by Rhea. Takao looked at her, what was she? Nuts?

"You really can't bugger off can you?" Rhea snapped as she saw Takao.

"So we do have something in common then." Takao replied angrily as Dragoon charged forward. Alicia's blade returned to her and she jumped out of the way as the wind took Rhea's into the air disorientating it. Takao smirked as he saw Rhea close her eyes, the taste of victory was so near…and yet so far.

"Takao!" Alicia yelled as a blade rushed through the air and collided with his face ripping his cheek in half. Rhea opened her eyes and laughed as blood tarnished the floor and his face,

"You're not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer are you?" She smiled as her blade rammed into Dragoon sending it back against the wall. Alicia sprinted over to Takao and put her hand on his shoulder watching as blood flowed down his neck and dripped onto the floor.

"This has nothing to do with him!" Alicia snarled re-launching her blade aiming it at Rhea who simply dodged it by giving a leap to back onto the barrier that stood between the battle arena and the stands. Rhea laughed,

"Give up Alicia! There's still time, you can receive my mercy if you beg for it!"

"No problem, but first you have to kill me!" Alicia stupidly ran forward in a craze of anger. Takao looked up as he felt his cheek sting as grit forced its way into his eyes and wound. He watched as Rhea withdrew a sword from behind her leather coat and flung it with perfect precision.

"Dragoon!" Takao yelled as Dragoon acted a split second ahead of Takao's instruction and flew through the air knocking the sword in a new direction that kept Alicia out of harms way. Takao shot over to Alicia obstructing her path. She slide past him and he launched his arm out and grabbed the first thing he could, her hair. She turned and gave him a mighty blow on his jaw and he staggered backwards as Rhea laughed and settled herself down to watch Alicia get ready to take him on.

"I'm on your side you fuck head!" Takao crunched up his knuckles fighting his craving to give her a smack.

"By grabbing my hair?"

"Oh yeah I forgot, a few strands of hair is so much more important than your life!"

"Uh ya!"

"What?"

"Look I appreciate you doing all this shit but this is my fight!" Alicia roared turning her back on Takao who swiped her back to face him,

"You won't get out of it alive! And I'm not carting your sorry ass outta here so beat it and let a grown up take care of business." Rhea sniggered at Takao calling himself a grown up and he glared at her.

"Do you want me to kick you in the balls? Cause I will if you don't stay out of this!" Alicia murmured angrily to Takao, "You and your friends take your freedom while you have the chance, mine will come soon enough!"

"This isn't the time to be playing hero!" Takao yelled at her as Rhea yawned.

"Excuse me, bad guy over here, getting pretty bored!" Rhea stole the limelight once more and she jumped back down and looked at Takao, "You were amusing at first but now your just real brain damaging so I'll give you a chance to get out of here." Rhea waited a split second and then re-ensnared Takao in the magnetic prison that forced him to the ground. Takao shouted in pain as a new factor became present in Rhea's little party trick. His insides began to mesh together with a cold poison. Takao's mind went hysterical as he thought death was slowly taking over him but he soon realised the chill was used to paralyse him so he couldn't escape. "Ok! Now this party's getting started!" Rhea got cocky and threw off her leather coat. Alicia watched as Rhea's blade slowly stopped and stood perfectly upright, as if waiting patiently for a signal. But she knew Rhea better than that, this wasn't about blading anymore. Takao felt the blood dribble into his eyes as he watched Rhea and Alicia exchange blows. Alicia dealt a hefty right hand to Rhea who laughed at its ineffectiveness. Takao wanted to yell at Alicia as she wasted her strength dealing violent blow after blow, it's not working! Go into defence! ALICIA! He panicked as he watched Rhea look down at the floor and then at those black claws she possessed. Rhea swiped at Alicia's neck ripping at her vocal cords and then kicked her forcefully in the stomach before grabbing her by the arms, successfully destroying all Alicia's nerves and tendons, and flinging her across the haze. Takao found his voice as his sight further deteriorated thanks to the blood leaking from his face.

"Alicia!"

"Alicia!" Rhea mocked and laughed as she picked up her sword and strolled over to Alicia balancing the blade flawlessly on the tip of her finger, "Pretty good eh?" She looked at Alicia who struggled to get on her knees. She tried to answer back but her vocal cords were shredded and all that would come out was a croak or a gasp as she tried to breath through the blood and mucus that gathered in the back of her throat. Rhea felt her heart lift and she looked at Takao who could only see her outline. "You wanna tell her a bedtime story champ?"

"Leave her alone!" Takao yelled as his eyes were overcome with blood.

"No?" She ignored what he had just said to her, "I guess it's only right a woman do it. No use in letting a silly boy like you mess it all up now. Lets see, once upon a time," she began patronisingly, "there was a boy named Salvatore and he went up against a force called Rhea." Alicia's eyes sparked with life as they burned with a severe hatred as they saw Rhea make a small curtsy. Rhea smiled and went close to Alicia's face. Alicia felt her need to strike Rhea being cruelly enticed, she tried to lift her arms but found herself too powerless to do so. Rhea smirked and whispered, "You remember this story? Me too. Let's see, five years ago," she took the hilt of her sword and stepped back from Alicia and returned to her normal volume as Alicia forced herself to look into the eyes that had haunted her every night for the last five years. "He was a bit taller and tougher than you. Just as stupid, full of the Italian shit of facing his killer. He wasn't much of a victim."

_I'll show her Italian shit!_ Alicia hawked up the blood from the back of her throat and spat it into Rhea's pale face. Rhea turned her face to the side and wiped the thick chunks of mucus/blood onto the back of her hand,

"Naughty naughty." Rhea lulled before driving the blade through Alicia's ribs and feeling an indescribable ecstasy as she heard Alicia scream in agonising pain as her flesh gave way to the cold steel. Takao watched horrified as the sword destroyed Alicia's rib cage making her internal organs collapse and fill with blood as her spine was snapped in half by the blood drenched, razor sharp blade that shot through her back making Alicia slump down as her life ebbed away.

"You fucking bitch!" Takao screamed. Rhea cackled as Takao's voice echoed.

"Your too kind! I must return the favour." She stomped forward as a figure streaked forward from the haze and knocked her down. Kai's eyes blazed with Dranzer's energy as he stood in front of Takao. Rhea looked at Kai from the floor and wiped the blood from her lip before wrenching a broken tooth from her mouth and flinging it to the side.

"Interesting." She mumbled as Kai kept glaring at her. She stood and gave a brisk nod of the head, "I have served my purpose. Hopefully we shall meet again and your fate will follow hers but if not I'll see you in hell." Rhea beamed as her eagle bit beast exploded from her blade and forced itself through the ceiling taking Rhea with it. Kai swept Takao off the ground as the ceiling crumbled and fell to the ground. When all the fog had cleared Dranzer's observable presence left Kai and went back into hiding in his heart. Kai felt the strain release from his shoulders as the magnetic force he had been fighting left removing the invisible chains that had been created. Takao scrubbed at his eyes as he volleyed himself to his feet and looked over at Alicia. Kai watched Takao as the air around them went thin with the delay of time that slowly began to function once more…only to return with endless seconds.

… … …

The sun began to set on the next day. Takao watched as the ocean glittered beneath the cliff and the small memorial made for Alicia stood shyly in the shadow of the dying sun as the wind breathed through his clothes and hair. He watched as petals wavered down from the solitary tree overhead. Some of the creamy white petals slowly rested upon the foot of the cliff where Kai gazed solemnly out into the distance with a blank mind while the prevailing wind from the North brought the blunt scent of loss and loneliness. Takao's eyes watered as he remembered it all. The crimson red blood that surged from her neck as Rhea cut across it with her unforgiving claws. The crush of her bones and the slashing movement of the sword hummed with the movement of the pebbles and the gently lapping waves. The sun slowly said goodbye as Takao walked forward to where Alicia's memory was set in stone. The sleeping blades of grass curled up as Takao genuflected by her grave.

_You can hear me right?_ Takao looked up into the slowly darkening sky. He laughed quietly remembering some of her last words, _why do I have the feeling you planned this?…or maybe you just knew…I've learnt something from what you done for me…in life, there is no protection. You saved my life…but you sealed my death at the same time…I'll never forgive myself for letting you die... _He looked down as a tear trickled down his cheek and hung for a few second on his jaw line before splashing upon the grass. _You thought your death would set us all free…that's all you wanted…_ Takao took out the remains of Alicia's black and green blade and laid them by the newly sprouting flowers. _I hope I can find the way to freedom, because it doesn't lie in sacrifice…..._ Takao's head went blank and he stood up and walked away from a dying chapter and into a newly born one. The night crept forth and the clouds parted as a glimmer upon wings smiled watching Takao. He was learning and eventually he would find out. One day.

Ho dedicato questa storia alla mia nonna…xx


End file.
